Can-numbering machine.



Patented Dec. 4,' I900;

C. W. SLEEPER.

CAN NUMBEBING MACHINE.

(Applicption filed Aug. as, 1900.)

(lo Iodal.)

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TED STATES ATENT Fries.

CHARLES W. SLEEPER, OF LANCASTER, NEIV HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO THE SLEEPER MACHINE COMPANY, OF MAINE.

CAN-NUMBERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,048, dated December 4, 1900.

Application filed August 23, 1900. Serial No. 7,303 (N0 11106613 T0 on whom it may concern- Be it known that I, CHARLES W. SLEEPER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Coos and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Can-Numbering Machine, of which the following is a specification.

In the process of putting up food products in tin cans it is frequently desirable to pro-. vide for the identification of each can and the process through which its contents have passed. For this purpose each batch of goods is given a serial number, which is stamped upon each can of the batch, and a record of the process is filed under the same number.

The object of my invention is to provide convenient means for numbering the cans and incidentally for inspecting the cans before numbering.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1 is an end view of my invention with stamps resting upon the cans. Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view with stamps resting upon the ink-pad. Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the action of the turnstile-latch.

A is a conveyer-trough.

A is an endless belt resting upon the bottom of the trough and having continuous motion in the direction of the arrows.

at a are brackets secured to the under side of the trough A.

a is a hanger adjustably secured to the bracket ct.

a is a hanger adjustably secured to the bracket a.

or is a gear rigidly secured to the hanger a b is a shaft journaled in the hangers a a and provided with projecting arms I) b, terminating in the handles 19 17 b is a gear pivoted upon a pin projecting from the side of the arm 1).

b is a gear secured to a shaft 5 which is journaled in the arms b b.

b b b are blocks adj ustably secured upon the shaft a and carrying suitable type-holders b for holding a number of figures of rubber type 15.

the handles 11 have been moved through an arc of about one hundred and eighty degrees, and the rubber type rest upon the tops of the cans C C. The gears (1 12 being of equal diameter, the type-holders maintain a vertical position during the movement of the handles b 0 is a turnstile revolving upon a vertical pin projecting from the bracket (1'. One arm of the turnstile is provided with an upwardlyprojecting lug c.

c is a latch-bolt provided with two downwardlyprojecting lugs 0 0 adapted to engage alternately the lug c on the turnstile o in the manner hereinafter described, the said lugs c 0 being a short distance apart and the lug 0 being situated a little in advanceof the other in the direction of the movement of the turnstile.

0 is a lever pivoted on a pin upon the side of hanger a and attached to the latch-bolt 0 A spring 0 connects the lever c with the upper end of hanger a A pin 0 upon the arm 19 engages the lever c and throws it back, as shown in Fig. 3.

In operation, the device being in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the lug c engaging the lug 0 the cans C C moving along the conveyer are stopped by the turnstile and the operator inspects them and removes any defective cans. When six cans have passed i11- spection, the operator takes hold of the handles b b and moves them to position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, stamping the numbers upon the cans. spring 0 pulls the lever a forward and throws the latch 0 relieving the lug c from engagementwith the lug 0 allowing the turnstile to move a short distance until the lug 0' engages the lug 0 This slight movement takes no appreciable time, and the cans are at rest before the rubber type strike them. The handles b b are immediately thrown back to their first position, by which movement the pin 0 acts upon the lever c to throw the latch c in the opposite direction, releasing As the handles begin to move, the,

the lug c and allowing the turnstile to revolve until the lug 0 again strikes the lug c during which time six cans will have passed thev turnstile.

- The device may of course be constructed to handle cans in sets of any convenient numher; but the cans being usually handled in dozens, six cans is found to be a convenient number for a set.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a can-numbering machine the oscillating arms 19 carrying the cross-shaft 19 typeblocks 19 mounted on said cross-shaft ink-padveyer-trough A with endless belt A adapted to move continuously therein, oscillating arms I) with type-carrying mechanism mounted thereon, turnstile 0 provided with lugs c, latch-bolt 0 provided with lugs c c and means for giving said latch-bolt reciprocating motion at each oscillation of said arms b substantially as described.

4:. The can-numbering device above described consisting, of the conveyer-trough A,

with endless belt A adapted to move continuously therein, oscillating arms I), carrying the shaft 1) with the type-blocks Z9 mounted thereon, gears 0L b b for preserving the upright position of said type-blocks during the oscillation of said arms 19, ink-pad b turnstile 0 provided with the lug c, latchbolt 0 provided with the lugs c 0 oscillating lever c pivoted to said latch-bolt and operated by the arms I) and spring 0 substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES W. SLEEPER.

WVitnesses:

F. D. HUTCHINS, W. H. MOCARTEN. 

